PHOTO: JENNIFER STEWART/ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
BizPHILANTHROPY
From left – Tucson J Board Chair Barney Holtzman and Tucson J President & CEO Todd Rockoff accept a gift from Arizona Diamondbacks President & CEO Derrick Hall, Shelley Duncan, manager of a Diamondbacks Single A team, and former D’Backs stars Luis Gonzalez and J.J. Putz, who are special assistants to Hall.
Diamondbacks Donate $76,000 to JCC By Steve Rivera Ken Light wasn’t much of a baseball fan, but he is one now. More specifically, he’s a BIG fan of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Diamondbacks, who were recently named by Forbes as the best organization to work for in sports, made a donation of $76,000 to the Tucson Jewish Community Center as part of its Grand Slam Award in mid-February. It was Light and his daughter who started the ball rolling to get the pivotal donation that led to adding a new and safe indoor play area at The J. “I think it’s terrific that they see a pri82 BizTucson
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ority in Southern Arizona,” said Light, retired president and CEO of The J. “I’ve always viewed them as the Arizona Diamondbacks and not the Phoenix Diamondbacks. The fact that they recognize that they are a statewide presence is reassuring. It’s nice to see them make inroads outside of the greater metro Phoenix area.” But that has always been the case. The D’Backs have contributed more than $42 million since the organization started in 1997. And the team takes pride in saying they’ve given more than all the pro teams in the state combined.
“Southern Arizona is certainly an important part of our history,” said Derrick Hall, president and CEO of the Diamondbacks. “We have a large fan base down here. And personally, it means a lot to me because my in-laws live here and my wife grew up here. The JCC has always been near and dear to our family.” Keeping the Diamondbacks’ brand in Southern Arizona and bringing it to The J is a priority, Diamondbacks officials said. More than $500,000 in school grants have been given, including a $100,000 gift to Gap Ministries. And www.BizTucson.com